Oyster Mushroom Risotto

Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman

Ingredients:

• 6 to 7 cups vegetable stock, as needed

• Hummingbird Gardens Sage Porcini Salt (or kosher salt) and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 shallots, minced

• ¾ to 1 pound oyster or wild mushrooms, cleaned and torn or sliced into 1-inch pieces

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1 ½ cups arborio

• ½ cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan, with a ladle nearby. Make sure stock is well seasoned, and keep it simmering on the stove.

Heat oil in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add onions or shallots and cook gently until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn up heat and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until they begin to sweat, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until they are soft. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add rice and stir until grains begin to crackle. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine is no longer visible in pan. Stir in enough simmering stock to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often and vigorously, until stock is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of stock and continue cooking, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when rice is almost dry, for 15 minutes. Continue adding stock and stirring for another 10 minutes. Rice should be tender all the way through but still al dente. Taste, and adjust seasoning.

Add another ladleful or two of stock to rice. Stir in parsley and Parmesan, and remove from heat. Season with black pepper and serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates.

Caponata

Adapted from David Leibovitz)

Ingredients:

• About 1 cup olive oil, for frying (so don’t use the good stuff)

• 1 pound eggplant, 1 inch dice

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

• 3 stalks celery, ½ inch slices

• 1/2 cup green olives, pitted and very coarsely chopped (about in thirds)

• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and squeezed dry

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Rao’s marinara sauce

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 tablespoon local honey

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• ⅓ cup golden raisins

• ⅓ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

• Chopped flat-leaf parsley or mint, for serving

Directions:

In a large, heavy-duty skillet, heat ½ cup olive oil. Cook the eggplant in batches, not crowding too many in the pan at once, turning them occasionally, until they are browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Season with salt, then fry the rest of the eggplant in batches, seasoning them with salt as you remove them from the oil. You’ll likely need to add more oil to the pan as you go. 

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently until wilted and starting to turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the olives, capers, tomato sauce, vinegar, honey, and red pepper flakes. Let come to a low boil, and then add the eggplant, raisins, and pine nuts. Cook the mixture at a simmer, stirring carefully so as not to mash up the eggplant pieces, for 3 to 4 minutes. Taste, and add additional salt if desired, and perhaps another splash of vinegar. Remove from heat and transfer the caponata to a large, shallow serving platter or bowl and cool.

Caponata is best served the next day, so the ingredients and flavors have time to meld. Top with chopped flat leaf parsley, and serve with crostini. Caponata will last about a week refrigerated.

Spicy Pickled Okra

Adapted from Lisa Fain

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds okra, stems trimmed

• 8 garlic cloves

• 1 cup fresh dill

• 2 habañero peppers, whole

• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed

• 2 teaspoons celery seed

• 2 teaspoons onion flakes

• 1 bay leaf

• 4 teaspoons salt

• 3 cups apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Evenly divide between 2 sterilized quart-sized jars the okra, dill, habanero and garlic cloves.

Bring the vinegar and spices to a boil and pour into the jars. Fill up the rest of the jar with water.

Let cool (about half an hour) and then cover and refrigerate. These are not preserved in a water bath, so they must be refrigerated at all times. They are ready to enjoy in a day and will last at least a month in the fridge.

Vegan Gumbo with Basil Rice

By Eli Talbert

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice

• 1/4 cup chopped basil

• 2 large onions

• 1 head of garlic

• 1 pint of okra

• 2 cups of eggplant (any variety)

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes

• 1/4 pound of mushrooms

• 3 bell peppers

• 1/3 cup of vegetable oil

• 1/3 cup flour

• 2 cups vegetable stock

• salt

• pepper

• crushed red pepper

• smoked paprika

• hot sauce

Directions:

Basil rice

Rinse 2 cups rice until the water runs clear put into a pot.

Add 1/4 cup basil and cook over medium heat until rice starts to become clear.

Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil let boil for a couple minutes then reduce to a simmer cover with lid.

Vegan gumbo

Dice onions, garlic, and one of your bell peppers and put them together in a bowl.

Chop the eggplant the other 2 bell peppers and the okra.

Rip up the mushrooms into bite sized amounts and set aside, you're going to be adding these towards the end unless they're particularly meaty mushrooms like chicken of the woods or hen of the woods.

Mix the oil and flour and cook over medium to low heat it should have a thick gravy like texture - this is a roux if it's too thick add little more oil too thin a little flour cook until your roux becomes a rich brown color.

Add all your vegetables they will cook very quickly so add bigger chunks first and work your way smaller cook until everything is soft add all your seasonings.

Add your vegetable stock slowy starting with a 1/4 cup mix it all together then a half cup then a full cup mix thoroughly it should have a thick texture perfect for serving over rice.

Cold Noodles

By Eli Talbert

Ingredients:

• 1 package udon noodles

• 1 bunch long beans

• 2 sweet peppers

• 1/4 cup basil

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil(to taste)

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos

• 1 jalapeno (optional)

Directions:

Bring water to boil before adding udon cook until soft and then rinse under cold water.

Saute long beans in a little oil (not sesame oil) until they start to soften then take them off the heat and allow them to cool.

Slice sweet peppers and jalapeno very thin you can cook them with the beans but I like to keep them raw.

Whisk together the sesame oil and soy sauce and add that to the noodles.

Mix in the vegetables to the noodles, season to taste with oil and soy sauce.

Bean Salad

By Eli Talbert

This bean salad is always a delight at family reunions and cookouts when you want to have a healthier choice also delicious when served as a dip for corn chips

Ingredients:

• 1 container green beans

• 2 red onions

• 2 sweet peppers (if bell pepper sized)

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 bunch basil

• 1 can white beans

• 1 can red beans

• 1 can garbanzo beans

• apple cider vinegar

• olive oil

• salt

• pepper

• paprika to taste

Directions:

Dice red onions then rinse under cold water put them in a mixing bowl.

Mince the garlic and pop it in there with the onions.

Slice the peppers and chop up the green beans and toss them in.

Add some oil and vinegar to your veggies as well as a quarter cup chopped basil.Drain all cans of beans and rinse them til the water is clear, mix everything together season to taste

Tomato & Cherry Gazpacho

By Rachel Best

Ingredients:

• 4 lb tomatoes, cored and halved

• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into pieces 2 peaches, peeled, halved and seed out

• 1 jalapenos chopped

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 c frozen cherries, thawed

• 1 T salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1⁄3 c white balsamic vinegar

• 1⁄2 c olive oil plus more

Directions:

Put all cut up veggies and fruit in a bowl and toss them with the vinegar and salt. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Working in batches, blend the mixture in a blender.

Slowly add in some of the olive oil to each batch while motor is running until all the oil is gone.

Stir everything together. The soup should be smooth.

Eat cold, garnished with sour cream.

Chilled Avocado Soup

By Rachel Best

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cucumbers, peeled and chopped 1 garlic clove, smashed

• 1⁄2 c water

• 1 c arugula

• 2 TBS mint

• 2 TBS parsley

• 2TBS cilantro

• 2 TBS basil

• 1 1⁄2 TBS red wine vinegar 1 Tbs lemon juice

• salt

• 1⁄4 c olive oil

• 1 c mashed avocado

Directions:

Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

Eat chilled with toasted pepitas and paprika as a garnish.

Blackberry Chutney

By Rachel Best

Ingredients:

• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 1 tsp dry mustard seed

• 1⁄4 c white wine vinegar

• 1⁄4 c dark-brown sugar

• 1 1⁄2 c fresh blackberries Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Warm a tablespoon of safflower oil in a small saucepan.

Add shallots, ginger and mustard seeds. Stir for 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Once blackberries have started to fall apart and some of the liquid has been absorbed, turn off heat and cool.

Serve chutney with cheese or with pork chops.

Market Bounty Sauerkraut

by Amanda Faller

(from Minimalist Baker)

Ingredients:

• 8 cups red or green cabbage (finely grated or chopped)

• 1 1/2 - 2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)

• 1 small beet (finely shredded)

• 3 whole carrots (finely shredded)

• 4 cloves garlic (finely minced)

Optional:

• 3 Tbsp fresh ginger (shredded / grated)

• 3 Tbsp fresh turmeric (shredded / grated)

Directions:

Sterilize any equipment you will be using for fermentation, especially the jars. It is extremely important that everything is sterilized to allow for proper fermentation. Do so easily by pouring boiling water over clean jars and lids and drying completely. Let come back to room temperature before adding ingredients.

Add finely grated cabbage (we used our mandolin) to a large mixing bowl and top with 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (or the lower end of the suggested range if making a different batch size). Wash hands thoroughly and massage cabbage for ten minutes. The cabbage should start softening, shrinking in size, and releasing water. Continue massaging until this happens.

Add shredded beet, carrot, garlic, and ginger/turmeric (if using) and massage once more with clean hands for 4-5 minutes until thoroughly combined. Then taste test and adjust flavor, adding more salt for saltiness, grated ginger for more zing, or garlic for more intense garlic flavor.

Use your clean hands to put the sauerkraut mixture into your sterilized jars and press down firmly to pack. There should be enough liquid from the massaging to rise up and cover the vegetables. If this doesn't happen, top with filtered water until covered (it is unlikely that you will need to add water).

Also, make sure there is plenty of room (about 1 1/2 inches) between the contents and the lid so it has room to expand. Seal with a lid and set on the counter where there's not much direct sun exposure or in a cabinet. The ideal temperature for fermentation is above 65 degrees F, so try to keep your environment on the warmer side to encourage proper fermentation.

Fermentation can happen as quickly as 24 hours if your space is hot, or it take as long as 2 weeks, (again, depending on the environment).

During this fermentation process, open your jars once per day to release air (you should feel pressure release and see air bubbles when you open the jars). Press down with a sterilized object such as a spoon or the bottom of a drinking glass to ensure that the vegetables are still completely covered in the liquid. Doing so helps encourage proper fermentation.

The longer it sits and ferments, the tangier it will become, so sample occasionally with a clean utensil to test and see if it is at the right stage for you. Once it has reached the desired tanginess, cover securely and transfer to the fridge, where it should keep at least 3 months and up to 6 months.

Spicy Stir-fried Cabbage

by Amanda Faller

Ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 teaspoons minced ginger

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 star anise, broken in half

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce (more to taste)

• 2 tablespoons dry sherry

• 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil

• 1 small cabbage, 1 to 1 1/2 pounds, quartered, cored and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch shreds

• 1 medium carrot, cut into julienne

• Salt to taste

• 2  tablespoons minced chives, Chinese chives or cilantro

Directions:

Combine the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and star anise in a small bowl. Combine the soy sauce and sherry in another small bowl.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting it back and forth. Add the garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and star anise. Stir-fry for a few seconds, just until fragrant, then add the cabbage and carrots. Stir-fry for one to two minutes until the cabbage begins to wilt, then add the salt and wine/soy sauce mixture. Cover and cook over high heat for one minute until just wilted. Uncover and stir-fry for another 30 seconds, then stir in the chives or cilantro and remove from the heat. The cabbage should be crisp-tender. Serve with rice or noodles.

Summer Squash Salad

by Amanda Faller

I love the freshness of the mint, but you can easily use basil or parsley in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds yellow summer squash, julienned on a mandoline or with a knife

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

• 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh marjoram or oregano

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 4 ounces feta, crumbles

• Sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

Toss squash, scallions, mint, marjoram, oil, and lemon juice in a large bowl; season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Add feta and toasted almonds and toss gently to combine.

Beet Drunken Spaghetti

by Amanda Faller

This is such a beautiful and hearty dish. By boiling the pasta in the wine, you add a ton of flavor before anything else is even added. For a no-alcohol version, just cook the pasta in water or broth.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 L bottle of dry red wine-nothing too expensive, but good enough to drink!

• 1 pound spaghetti

• 3-4 medium/large beets, greens reserved if available

• 3 TBSP olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped

• 1 bunch of Swiss chard (OR USE YOUR BEET GREENS!), stemmed and chopped

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 2 TBSP butter

• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

• 6 oz grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Pour the wine into pasta pot and add enough water to reach the level that you would normally use to cook pasta. Bring to a boil over high heat, salt the water and cook pasta to al-dente. When you drain, set aside 1 cup of the cooking liquid to use later!

While the pasta is cooking, peel and grate the beets. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, cook for about a minute and add the grated beets. Season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium high and cook the beets for 7-8b minutes, then add the greens, stirring to wilt evenly. Season with the nutmeg, then stir in the vegetable stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the reserved cooking liquid and the butter, swirling and stirring to melt. Turn off the heat and add the cooked spaghetti, toss for 1 minute. Serve with parmesan on top!